So, at a nearby grocery store they have canned haggis. It's $8.50 for a 15 ounce can; just about $9 per pound.

I've never tried haggis, and I'm not sure I want to spend that much on a potential mistake.

Has anyone out there tried haggis? If so, what's it like? Should I leave the can where I found it?

Good question. I'm sure our resident Brits can tell us what sheep's gut tastes like.

I mean, how different can it be from sausage? Instead of "everything but the squeal," it's "everything but the bleat," right?

Ah!.... the thrill of chasing the little things round the fells (hills), then makin' them fall over when you chase them back the other way (legs shorter on one side than the other), and catch them to cook.....

The taste is an aquired one, which may be offal to some !...

...Seroiusly, I like haggis, and I don't want to offend any Scots here...but.. fresh cooked in a sheeps stomach ..wonderful (but watch out for the noes ring).

.....Canned ....NO WAY! 

If it tastes good canned, it's probably not real haggis (the little darlings)....


Chrissty

Quote from: Chrissty on December 02, 2008, 02:42:33 PM
.....Canned ....NO WAY! 

So, canned haggis is like Scottish SPAM, right?

Quote from: Shades O'Grey on December 02, 2008, 02:56:18 PM

So, canned haggis is like Scottish SPAM, right?

Not really, Spam would taste like Spam, in or out of a can.

Haggis just needs to be freshly cooked with a little love and seasoning (b->-bleeped-<-ipe music helps too)....

It is a not a sausage as such, as in most traditional recipes it usually contains rather more cereal, and doesn't bind in the same way. When served it looks like a small Chrismas turkey with no legs.

It's just one of those foods that is great served "piping" hot while reciting a little Robbie Burns (not Robbie Williams).

....and NO this is not an excuse to post the Monty Python "Lumberjack Song" either!

Chrissty

Do I hear people dissing SPAM? SPAM is awesome!


Ok, no one was dissing SPAM but I had to make an impassioned defense of it

I'm actually a bit of a SPAMaholic. The family just doesn't understand. My son, the devout pork-a-vore, has requested I not cook SPAM in the house, as he can't stand the smell.

I can't believe it: I've raised a barbarian.

Haggis is wonderful. I don't know if I'd spend the money on canned haggis.

It belongs to the class of food products made from organs (which taste strong) but mixed with grains so that the taste is milder.

I also like liver mush (pork liver, odd and ends and cornmeal), kishka (blood and barley or buckwheat) and black puddings.

For Shades O'Grey: My sense of smell has kicked into high gear and frying bacon in the house makes me physically ill.

I love haggis. It tastes like pate. I can't imagine what it would be like canned.

I haven't done much looking around here, but canned so far is the only version I've found. I'm leery of canned foods, as they usually suck.

Was in Aberdeen (the oil capital of Scotland) for work all of last week, and the Marriott's hot buffet breakfast alternated haggis with black pudding each morning ... yummy ...  ...

(Trad scottish breakfast also includes lorne or link sausage, bacon, mushroom, grilled tomatoes, hash browns, your choice of egg ... or of course kippers !)

I love haggis and gorge myself with it around Burns Night when every English supermarket stocks it (or at least "mini haggis" enough for two or three people, not the full sheep's stomach variety !)... yes, haggis, neeps & tatties ...

"Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o' the puddin'-race!
Aboon them a' ye tak yer place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy o' a grace
As lang's my airm ... "

Have even had "posh" haggis in an Edinburgh restaurant doused in a whisky sauce ... ...

Haggis is made of sheep's heart, liver, and lung, minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices ... should have a firm texture.

My folks once brought back a canned haggis from an Edinburgh trip and ye Gods ...  ...

It was tasteless MUSH  ... ...

AVOID the tinned variety, its a disgrace to the "haggis race".

Plus haggis is cheap (!), a small 1 lb "real" haggis is never much more than £1=80 in the UK, which is around $3 ...

Laura x

I have it at our Burns suppers.  Not really my favorite, but not too bad.  I can't imagine it canned though.  And yes, b->-bleeped-<-ipe music does help.

Kristi

Quote from: Laura Eva B on December 02, 2008, 05:07:27 PM
My folks once brought back a canned haggis from an Edinburgh trip and ye Gods ...  ...

It was tasteless MUSH  ... ...

AVOID the tinned variety, its a disgrace to the "haggis race".

Thanks for the tip, Laura.

Quote from: Laura Eva B on December 02, 2008, 05:07:27 PM
Was in Aberdeen (the oil capital of Scotland) for work all of last week, and the Marriott's hot buffet breakfast alternated haggis with black pudding each morning ... yummy ...  ...

Alright. I hate you. How can I get a job like that?

Apparently vegetarian Haggis is really nice.

Quote from: Lisbeth on December 02, 2008, 06:32:23 PM

Quote from: Laura Eva B on December 02, 2008, 05:07:27 PM
Was in Aberdeen (the oil capital of Scotland) for work all of last week, and the Marriott's hot buffet breakfast alternated haggis with black pudding each morning ... yummy ...  ...

Alright. I hate you. How can I get a job like that?

Well as you must guess I transitioned in the job which I've held for 16 years.  Its oil service and our clients are Total, Exxon, BP, Shell ... and its a good industry that pays @ $100k, even though I'm based at home these days (more hate !) ...

Could get a job in our Houston office at a salary hike, but I don't need such a disruption in my life.

Thing is everyone really likes me (guess I'm a nice person), and respects me for my knowledge and technical ability, both company-wise and client base.  And so many newcomers seem to know nothing of my "past" ...

Real reason for being in Aberdeen was the office Xmas do (booze up) ... 80 of us, of who I soon realised way less than half knew I was TS.  I told the engineer who was "hitting on me" and he was "friendlily stunned", showing those that know of my "past" keep it to themselves ...

Anyway ... this is getting way off the haggis topic !

Laura x

i like haggis, tis cheap and flavourful and goes a long way. Today I cooked a very nice flan, it was good.

Quote from: Nicky on December 02, 2008, 07:06:14 PM
Apparently vegetarian Haggis is really nice.

Vegetarian haggis may be "nice" but how can it even approximate the "blood & guts" offal of the real thing ...    ... ?

Bit like Quorn sausages ...

Laura x

As a Scottish 'Lassie' I can tell you that haggis is delicious!  It tastes much better than it looks.
Tinned haggis can be a bit hit or miss.  Here in Scotland you can buy haggis from butchers' shops and boil it.
Haggis is lungs and sheep's stomach etc but once you have tried it you will love it,or hate it. 

Stephanie